Welsh Government warn of “stark and painful choices” ahead of full budget release

The NHS and frontline council services, including schools and social care, will be at the heart of the Welsh Government’s 2024-25 draft Budget they say, which will be published tomorrow.

Tonight Welsh Government have set the scene ahead of its publication in a short note, “The draft Budget has been developed amidst the toughest financial situation Wales has faced since the start of devolution.

“As a result of inflation, Wales’ overall budget is worth £1.3bn less in real terms since it was set in 2021. Wales’ settlement, which largely comes from the UK Government in the form of a block grant, is not sufficient to respond to the extreme pressures public services, businesses and people are facing and has not been uplifted by the UK Government to recognise the current economic context.

“Ministers have faced stark and painful choices as they have radically reshaped spending plans to focus funding on the core public services which matter most to people.”

Commenting ahead of the Labour Welsh Government budget, Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies MS said: “The Labour Welsh Government has £3.5 billion extra to spend on public services compared to England and what do we see for it? Longest NHS waiting lists with some people waiting three years, education results falling down the international league tables and more people out of work than the rest of the UK.

“We know that governments can solve the issues that matter most to people. A quick look across the border and you can see the UK Government successfully tackling the longest waits, with two years waits down to hundreds whilst thousands wait in Wales.

“The budget today will hold no surprises from this failing Labour Government with millions being wasted on vanity projects creating more politicians, fiddling with the constitution and slowing down the economy.

“A Welsh Conservative Government would right Labour’s wrongs. We’d reverse the real terms cuts to the Welsh NHS and Welsh schools, spending every penny the government receives for health on health. We’d prioritise areas that kickstart growth in the Welsh economy getting people back into work.

“Labour are distracted by changes at the top but we all know that it’ll be more of the same from the last 25 years of Labour running Wales.”

The full budget will emerge tomorrow…